Everything specific to Iowa in one place: what a death certificate costs and how to get one, who has the legal right to arrange the funeral, and where to find official help. Each section links to a full guide with its sources.
Iowa at a glance
| Certified death certificate (state fee) | $20 |
|---|---|
| Decides the funeral if nobody was named in advance | Surviving spouse (if not legally separated) |
| Can you name someone in advance? | Yes |
| The law | Iowa Code §§ 144C.5, 144C.8 |
Funeral cost calculator for Iowa
Pick the kind of arrangement and what it includes, and the estimate updates line by line, using Iowa funeral homes’ own prices where we have them. Every line shows its source.
Funeral costs in Iowa
These are medians from 10 Iowa funeral homes’ own published General Price Lists (8 cities, dated 2024-09 to 2026-07), collected in September 2026. Each figure counts only the price lists that show that item. Direct cremation and immediate burial are the lowest option each home lists; some include a basic container or the crematory fee and some do not. Your funeral home’s own price list is the only figure that counts for your bill.
| Item | Median | Price lists |
|---|---|---|
| Direct cremation (lowest listed option) | $3,225 | 10 |
| Immediate burial (lowest listed option) | $4,092.50 | 10 |
| Basic services fee | $3,040 | 10 |
| Embalming | $882.50 | 10 |
| Transfer of remains to the funeral home | $472.50 | 10 |
| Viewing (facilities and staff) | $500 | 10 |
| Funeral ceremony (facilities and staff) | $660 | 10 |
| Hearse | $345 | 10 |
The 10 price lists behind these figures
- Hamilton's Funeral Home, Des Moines, 2026-07-13
- Brosh Chapel, Cedar Rapids, 2026-05-01
- Christy-Smith Funeral Homes, Sioux City, 2025-12-01
- Weerts Funeral Home, Davenport, 2026-07-14
- Mitchell Family Funeral Home, Marshalltown, 2026-01-01
- Richardson Funeral and Cremation Service, Cedar Falls, 2025-12-01
- Nelson-Berger Funeral Home, Sioux City, 2025-09-01
- Printy Funeral Homes (Keokuk), Keokuk, 2024-09-11
- Laufersweiler & Sievers Funeral Home, Fort Dodge, 2025-09-01
- Simplify Cremations & Funerals, Des Moines, 2025-07-01
Under the FTC Funeral Rule every funeral home must give you its prices over the phone, so calling two or three is the fastest way to a real number. How much a funeral costs, line by line.
Death certificates in Iowa
Certified copies come from Bureau of Health Statistics, Iowa Department of Health and Human Services. Iowa HHS: in person, "Requests received by 2:00 p.m. Monday through Friday will be processed in 2 hours"; regular mail "4 to 6 weeks"; VitalChek with UPS overnight "2 to 5 business days" or UPS 2-day "5 to 10 business days.". Full guide: getting a death certificate in Iowa.
Who decides the funeral in Iowa
Iowa law sets the order. The first people in line are: Designee or alternate under the decedent's declaration; Surviving spouse (if not legally separated); Adult children (majority); Parents. The full order, ties, deadlines and disputes.
Help paying for a funeral in Iowa
Federal help is the same in every state: Social Security’s one-time $255 payment to an eligible spouse or child, VA burial benefits for eligible veterans, and FEMA help only after a declared disaster. What each pays and how to apply.
Some Iowa counties and cities also help low-income families with burial or cremation costs. Ask the social services office in the county where the person died.
More official links for every state: funeral resources · all states.